Student snaps up top photo award

David Black, portrait work with effects

A photography student has been awarded a qualification that puts him in the ranks of experienced professional snappers.

Mature student David Black, who is currently studying for his BA Hons in Photography at Batley School of Art, has been awarded Associateship level by the British Institute of Professional Photography, a qualification not normally achieved by student photographers.

David, of Brighouse, had to submit various images to the BIPP which were then reviewed by a panel of assessors who decided whether his work was of a high enough standard.

The images were a mix of traditional photos and images manipulated using computers.

Whereas most photographers at this stage in their career would achieve Licentiateship, the BIPP’s first level, David’s work was deemed good enough to put him at Associateship level.

But this success isn’t enough for David, as he’s already set his sights on the BIPP’s top benchmark of Fellowship.

He said: “It’s a marvellous thing to have and is a big achievement of course, but I see it more as another step, and now I’m preparing for the next one – getting to Fellowship level is what I’m striving for now.”

Despite not pursuing photography until later in life, David has had his fair share of successes.

In fact, many of you may be familiar with David’s work without even knowing it, as he was the man behind the CGI used for the impressive 4D projection on the Batley School of Art’s Wheelwright Building earlier this year. David, 46, is in the final year of his course, but has never been a stranger to the lens, as his late father was a professional photographer.

David said: “I had a camera in my hand from quite a young age and would go out with my dad when he was taking photos.

“But for a long time I worked in administration, so it wasn’t until recently that I really chose to do something different and follow in his footsteps.”